'Glorious Goodwood' is THE horse racing festival to attend in high summer in the UK
Glorious Goodwood in late July / early August is the summer racing festival and social highlight of the high Summer Flat horse racing season. Goodwood Racecourse is the place to be when the shines for this iconic 5-day horse racing festival.
As one of the most important horse racing festivals in the world, the 5-day Glorious Goodwood festival is up there with the very best Summer flat racing experiences.
Over 100,000 people attend this uniquely English, showpiece racing festival with a relaxed yet iincredibly stylish atmosphere, where Champagne and strawberries are consumed in quantity. Glorious Goodwood has none of the formality of Royal Ascot, whilst displaying all of the glamour.
Glorious Goodwood - The Festival
The Glorious Goodwood Festival, run in front of a packed crowd of racegoers, at what is arguably the world’s most beautiful racecourse, is a 5-day meeting featuring such diverse races as the Sussex Stakes, Nassau Stakes, Goodwood Cup and the Stewards’ Cup, with it’s traditional ‘Cavalry Charge’.
Now dubbed the Qatar Goodwood Festival for sponsorship reasons, the Festival is a magnet for racegoers from far and wide, who come to experience the festival’s unique racing and social atmosphere.
With 35 top-class races in total – 7 on each of the 5 days – the Festival attracts the very best international horses and jockeys – most notably including Frankel before this retirement, who won the Sussex Stakes here twice, in 2011 and 2012.
The Goodwood Festival: 5-Days of superb horseracing
Day 1
Goodwood kicks off on Day 1 with the Opening Ceremony honouring past Festival winners and revealing each specially commissioned cup for each feature race, followed by 7 top-quality races including 2 feature races. The Lennox Stakes 7-furlong Group 2 race takes centre-stage.
Day 2
On Day 2 the Group 1 Sussex Stakes for top milers aged 3+ is the highlight of the whole Glorious Goodwood festival. Day 2 also features the Gordon Stakes 1-mile 4-furlong Group 3 race for fillies + the Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes 7-furlong race for 2 year-olds.
Day 3
Day 3 is ‘Ladies Day’ at Glorious Goodwood. ‘Ladies Day’ is a very special race day featuring the highly competitive 2-mile Group 2 Goodwood Cup and definitely worth having a flutter on. The Audi Stakes 5-furlong Group 3 Sprint for 3 year-olds is also highly competitive.
Day 4
The Friday of Glorious Goodwood includes 4 high-quality Group races; the King George Stakes, Oak Tree Stakes, Glorious Stakes & Thoroughbred Stakes. The feature race of the day is the Betfred Mile, which is the most valuable Handicap at Goodwood and always fiercely contested.
Day 5
Day 5 at Goodwood sees an action-packed race-card with 2 main highlights to enjoy; the 1 mile 2-furlong Group 1 Nassau Stakes, part of the British Champions Series and the Stewards Cup handicap run over 6 furlongs for 3 year-olds and up providing a fitting climax to the 5-day Festival.
Goodwood Racecourse
Goodwood Racecourse is a Flat Racing course, nestled in an attractive setting overlooking the Sussex Downs with views to the Solent and the Isle of White. Located 5 miles north of Chichester, the racecourse is run by the family of the Duke of Richmond, whose family ‘seat’ is situated nearby at Goodwood House.
With it’s colourful programme of horse racing fixtures, motorsport events (on the adjacent car racing circuit), weddings and entertainments, Goodwood is one of Britain’s great estates and historic homes, having hosted horse racing meetings for over 200 years.
Seen very much as the “Sport of Kings” when first launched in 1802, Goodwood was established as a Flat horse racing course for local officers by the third Duke of Richmond as Colonel of the Sussex Militia. Over the years Goodwood Racecourse has seen many changes, resulting in what you see today – a fine racecourse with fine facilities for racegoers including the award winning March Stand.
Goodwood has always been an innovator within horse racing, introducing new fixtures such as the first Sunday race meeting, following the legalisation of betting on the Sabbath, bringing the total number of race-days at Goodwood to 19 (a record at the time).
Private Boxes at Goodwood Racecourse
Goodwood Racecourse private box, VIP hospitality & restaurant packages offer a great way to entertain friends, build client relationships and reward staff. Private boxes at Goodwood Racecourse are all located within either the Richmond Enclosure or the Gordon Enclosure.
All private box and restaurant packages include 2 patrons’ membership badges per booking + a special mix cocktail or Champagne drinks reception with canapés, 3-course lunch, afternoon tea; unlimited wines, beers & spirits; one enclosure badge per person; reserved car parking and race card.
Choose from: course-facing private boxes with head-on views of the racing down the home straight to the winning post – or paddock-facing boxes with private balconies overlooking the Parade Ring and stunning views across the Downs, towards the Solent and Isle of Wight.
MARCH STAND COURSE-FACING BOXES: for 12 – 15 people (12 seated) are located in the Richmond Enclosure. It has a limited number of course-facing boxes with private balconies directly opposite the Winning post.
SUSSEX STAND BOXES: for 16 – 20 people (16 seated) are situated on the first floor of this newly refurbished Sussex Stand. These boxes have stunning views of the racecourse and Sussex Downs beyond from private balconies and are within easy reach of the parade ring.
RICHMOND PAVILION: for 24 people or multiples thereof. Glass-fronted Richmond Pavilion boxes are situated on the top floor of the Charlton Stand, providing stunning head-on views of the Home straight and across the Richmond Lawn. Suitable for groups of 24 or multiples thereof.
SUSSEX SUITES: for 32 people or multiples thereof. Glass-fronted Sussex Suite Boxes situated next to the Sussex Stand within a furlong of the Winning post, have a light and airy feel to them with a private covered balcony.
CHARLTON BOXES: for 40 people or multiples thereof. These private, glass fronted boxes are located on the first floor of the Charlton Stand, within the Richmond Enclosure, overlooking the Horsewalk where the horses and jockeys pass by on their way the track.
MARCH STAND PADDOCK-FACING BOXES: for 12 – 15 people (12 seated) are located in the Richmond Enclosure. Paddock-facing boxes located on the 2nd floor of the March Stand have a south-facing private balcony with superb views towards the Parade Ring and the Solent. Racing can be viewed from the Richmond Lawns below or the Richmond Seats one flight below. There is an additional cost for these seats during Glorious Goodwood.
Goodwood Dining & Hospitality
The following Glorious Goodwood Racecourse restaurants have private balconies overlooking either the racecourse track-side, or the Parade Ring with stunning views across the Downs, towards the Solent and out to the Isle of Wight. Pictured right the Charlton Hunt Restaurant with views over the racecourse track-side.
CHARLTON HUNT RESTAURANT: located in the Richmond Enclosure. The extensive balcony has an uninterrupted view of the finishing line and panoramic views stretching from Chichester to the Isle of Wight.
GLORIOUS SECRET GARDEN RESTAURANT: located in the Richmond Enclosure. Taking the best elements of summertime in England and transforming one of the most sought after hospitality areas at Glorious Goodwood Racecourse.
DOUBLE TRIGGER CLUB: located in the Richmond Enclosure. With its own private terrace for drinks and views to the horse walk, the Double Trigger Club is a short stroll from the Parade Ring, putting you right in the center of the racing action.
FINAL FURLONG: located in the Gordon Enclosure. This course-side pavilion offers uninterrupted views across the course and close-up views of the final furlong racing action as the horses race to the finish line – making it a superb base for the day.
GORDON RESTAURANT: located in the Gordon Enclosure. The award-winning Gordon Restaurant is situated on the first floor of the Sussex Stand overlooking the Parade Ring. This restaurant offers a delicious three course carvery and Goodwood Afternoon Tea – but no pre-lunch drinks reception.
Essential Details
| Address: | Goodwood Racecourse, Goodwood, Chichester, West Sussex, P018 0PS |
| Tel: | 01243 755 022 |
| Website: | http://www.goodwood.com |
| Email: | racing@goodwood.com |
| Admission: (Prices subject to change) | Non-festival fixtures: Richmond Enclosure £29; Gordon Enclosure £21; Lennox Enclosure £9; accompanied U18s FREE |
| Road: | 6 miles north of Chichester, off A286 Chichester to Midhurst Road |
| Rail: | Victoria to Chichester, or Waterloo change at Havant. Then special bus (6 miles) or taxi |
| Car park: | Free and reserved available |
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